Safe Routes to School National Partnership - safe routes to schoolhttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/safe-routes-school
enPlace Matters in Combating Violencehttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/place-matters-combating-violence
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/pictures/medium_keith%20benjamin.jpg" border="0" alt="keith benjamin" title="keith benjamin" width="120" height="120" style="margin: 5px; float: left;" />The July 4th weekend brought all of the flare and celebration that we expect every year; celebrations of freedom and opportunity that ideally we all should have and enjoy. Unfortunately, while many Americans around the country gathered to eat barbeque and watch the fireworks, families and friends in Chicago ran and cried as pops and flashes riddled the city. A total of 82 people were shot over the July 4th weekend.</p>
<p>Many stories have surfaced in the past weeks, but I wish to highlight one – that of 17-year-old Marcel Pearson, whose story was noted in the Chicago Tribune. In just two days, his mentor was supposed to be driving him four hours to his freshman orientation at Western Illinois University. On July 4, he was walking with friends in Robichaux Park in the Brainerd neighborhood when a white van pulled up and started shooting. Pearson never made it to orientation. Instead, his family gathered as he lay covered in a white sheet, only blocks from his home, dead, with wounds to the chest and back.</p>
<p>Protecting our youth is an issue that cannot be ignored. If we believe that every child should be able to freely live, walk, work and play in their neighborhood, then community safety advocates must become fluent in the language of healthy community design, and built environment advocates can no longer be afraid to hold hands with community safety advocates.</p>
<p>Discussions around the country of effective strategies and innovative partnerships have become more consistent, but we can do more; we need to do more for kids like Marcel.</p>
<p><a href="http://activelivingresearch.org/do-all-children-have-places-be-active-disparities-access-physical-activity-environments-racial-and"><img src="http://activelivingresearch.org/sites/default/files/ALR_Infographic_Disparities_March2014.jpg" border="0" alt="infographic" title="infographic" width="300" height="314" style="margin: 5px; float: left;" />Studies</a> show that “lower-income and racial and ethnic minority people tend to live in neighborhoods with fewer and poorer quality sidewalks, fewer parks and open spaces, and more crime, social disorder and traffic.” Each year, Latino communities experience 45.5 more crimes per acre compared with White communities and parents report violence and crime as one of the five primary factors affecting <a href="/sites/default/files/pdf/Street-Scale-Using-Safe-Routes-to-School-to-Combat-Threat-of-Violence.pdf">children's walking or biking</a>. With pedestrian injury being the leading cause of unintentional, injury-related death among children age <a href="http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets/complete-streets-fundamentals/factsheets/children">5 to 14</a>, it’s not surprising that Latino and African American children are 40 percent and 50 percent more likely than their white peers to be killed while <a href="http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/complete-streets/complete-streets-fundamentals/factsheets/equity/">walking</a>.</p>
<p>The lack of safe space to walk, bicycle, or be outside in a community has a direct impact on physical activity levels, job access, education options and housing quality. Advocates for physical activity and healthy community design realize that focusing on eradicating violence and crime in underserved neighborhoods is a <a href="http://www.unicef.org/protection/Violence_in_the_City.pdf">necessary precursor</a> to improving access to physical activity and improving the quality of life.</p>
<p>Over the last year, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership has stepped out to make the improvement of underserved communities a key priority. We are determined to break the barrier between community safety and built environment advocacy, with action steps such as establishing two diverse <a href="/resourcecenter/activeplaces/national-active-transportation-diversity-task-force">national task forces</a>, partnering with the NAACP to create an equity asset map of resources/funding/capacity throughout the country, developing policy, coalitions and funding capacity in states and local communities, and partnering with organizations like NOBEL-Women (an association of black women elected officials) to pass policy resolutions on health equity and safety. </p>
<p>These issues are a matter of social justice and are interdependent if a healthy, accessible, and affordable place to live is something every American should be able to obtain. In the words of my favorite writer James Baldwin, “too many young people are growing into stunted maturity, trying desperately to find a place to stand; and the wonder is not that so many are ruined but that so many survive.” We need to create new partnerships to ensure survival for young people like Marcel Pearson, but also to go beyond mere survival. By working together, we can create safe places that let young people, and all of us, thrive. </p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/safe-routes-school" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">safe routes to school</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/healthy-community-design" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">healthy community design</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/lower-income" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">lower income</a></div></div></div>Thu, 17 Jul 2014 21:45:16 +0000Keith Benjamin1507 at http://saferoutespartnership.orghttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/place-matters-combating-violence#commentsExploring Collaboration Between Safe Routes to School and School Bus Professionalshttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/exploring-collaboration-between-safe-routes-school-and-school-bus-professionals
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/pictures/Screen%20Shot%202014-07-09%20at%2011.06.17%20AM.png" border="0" alt="school bus report" title="school bus report" width="175" style="float: left; margin: 5px;" />Today, most student transportation departments around the country focus primarily on getting students to school on yellow school buses. But student transportation isn’t just about school buses. Students are also getting to school by foot, bicycle, car, and public transportation. Decisions about how students travel to school affect their health and safety, as well as traffic congestion, air pollution, and the health and safety of the community at large.</p>
<p>In April 2014, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership convened a group of representatives from different areas in the school transportation field, including school bus professionals, student transportation department directors, urban planners, and Safe Routes to School advocates, to discuss school bus funding formulas, trends within the field, and areas of collaboration. The resulting report, <a href="/sites/default/files/pdf/Buses-Boots-and-Bicycles-2014.pdf"><em>Buses, Boots, and Bicycles: Exploring Collaboration Between Safe Routes to School and School Busing Professionals to Get Children to School Safely and Healthily</em></a>, presents a comprehensive look at student transportation in the United States and proposes ways that Safe Routes to School professionals and transportation directors could collaborate more effectively to ensure that all children safely access their local schools.</p>
<p><em>Buses, Boots, and Bicycles</em> addresses questions such as:</p>
<ul><li>How are students actually getting to school today?</li>
<li>What are the policies that dictate how a school district or state approaches student transportation?</li>
<li>How are student transportation expenses funded, and how do funding structures vary among states?</li>
<li>How do funding formulas create incentives or disincentives for walking, bicycling, and Safe Routes to School?</li>
</ul><div><img src="/sites/default/files/pictures/Screen%20Shot%202014-07-09%20at%2011.08.11%20AM.png" border="0" alt="price tag" title="price tag" width="427" height="174" /></div>
<p>The report concludes with a series of recommendations for student transportation departments and Safe Routes to School advocates to work together to develop a multimodal approach to school transportation that encourages students who live within a reasonable distance of school to walk or bicycle, and students who live farther away to ride the bus instead of being driven.</p>
<p><a href="/sites/default/files/pdf/Buses-Boots-and-Bicycles-2014.pdf">Click here to download the report.</a></p>
<p><em>On July 17 at 2 p.m. Eastern, the National Partnership is hosting a free webinar with representatives from student transportation departments and Safe Routes to School programs to discuss the implications of the report and to share experiences and ideas for working together. </em><a href="https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8034185699447539457"><em>Register here.</em></a><em></em></p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/school-bus" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">school bus</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/safe-routes-school" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">safe routes to school</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/srts" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">SRTS</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-topics field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Topics:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/research" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Research</a></div></div></div>Wed, 09 Jul 2014 18:09:27 +0000Margaux Mennesson1481 at http://saferoutespartnership.orghttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/exploring-collaboration-between-safe-routes-school-and-school-bus-professionals#commentsImproving Data and Modeling to Support Active Transportation Investmentshttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/improving-data-and-modeling-support-active-transportation-investments
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><a href="http://saferoutescalifornia.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/data-collection-and-modeling-for-active-transportation-06-12-2014-1.pdf"><img src="http://saferoutescalifornia.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/title-picture-for-webpage.png?w=311" border="0" alt="Title Page" title="Improving Data and Modeling to Support Active Transportation Investments" width="225" height="292" style="float: right;" /></a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>Showing the benefits of active transportation at the regional and project level is extremely important as active transportation projects compete in an increasingly constrained revenue environment. As advocates for active transportation, we are often challenged to provide data and research that supports the need for added investments active transportation. While the link between new infrastructure projects and increased usage seems obvious, it is often difficult to quantify the benefits of these networks or even a particular project due to the constraints created by existing data sources. In order to prove to decision makers that additional investments in walking and bicycling facilities are cost effective, provide measurable health benefits, reduce congestion, reduce greenhouse gases, etc., we must improve our modeling and data collection efforts for active transportation. </span></p>
<p>To better understand the current state of active transportation data collection and modeling in California, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership (National Partnership) conducted a series of structured interviews with modeling professionals across California in the fall of 2013. Interviewees were selected from metropolitan planning organization (MPO) modeling staff, private consultants engaged in developing new active transportation models and academic experts conducting research in the field. While this report specifically focused on efforts in California, many of the recommendations will apply to states across the nation.</p>
<p>The National Partnership has compiled the results from these interviews <a href="http://saferoutescalifornia.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/data-collection-and-modeling-for-active-transportation-06-12-2014-1.pdf">into a report</a> to provide policy makers a series of recommendations they can implement to improve data collection and modeling for active transportation. Since our models are only as good as the data they use, this report also seeks to highlight some of the major sources of data that are often used in transportation planning and the strengths and weaknesses of each data source.</p>
<p dir="ltr">There is a growing awareness of the effects of our transportation system on public health outcomes, including diabetes, asthma, obesity and chronic heart disease. Public health professionals recognize that active transportation investments provide “upstream” prevention measures that improve the health of communities by providing opportunities for physical activity. A number of innovative models have begun to emerge in California that seek to quantify this relationship between active transportation and public health outcomes. In addition to the recommendations made for traditional transportation models, brief recommendations have been developed on how these health focused modeling tools can be improved for active transportation.</p>
<p dir="ltr">By improving our understanding of the benefits of active transportation projects, we will be in a stronger position to advocate for infrastructure and programs that our communities so desperately need and want.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="http://saferoutescalifornia.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/data-collection-and-modeling-for-active-transportation-06-12-2014-1.pdf">(Download Report Here)</a></p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/modeling" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">modeling</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/data" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">data</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/bicycling" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Bicycling</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/walking" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Walking</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/active-transportation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">active transportation</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/safe-routes-school" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">safe routes to school</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tag-state field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">State:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/state-blog/california" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">California</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-region field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Region:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/southern-california" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Southern California</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-topics field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Topics:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/national-learning-network" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">National Learning Network</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/national-policy-advocacy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">National Policy &amp; Advocacy</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/regional-policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Regional Policy</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/research" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Research</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/state-policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">State Policy</a></div></div></div>Tue, 17 Jun 2014 20:46:57 +0000Rye Baerg1460 at http://saferoutespartnership.orghttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/improving-data-and-modeling-support-active-transportation-investments#commentsBicycle Safety Education: Beyond the Bike Rodeo?http://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/bicycle-safety-education-beyond-bike-rodeo
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/pictures/CurriculaGuide.gif" border="0" alt="Bicycle Pedestrian " title="Bicycle Pedestrian" width="200" height="259" style="float: right; margin: 5px;" />Over the past decades bicycle safety education has developed into its own field, ultimately being implemented in a variety of ways, depending primarily on the amount of time and resources available to convey important concepts. These choices are not easy and inevitably we, as educators, must make informed compromises. There are two integral resources when considering what, exactly, to teach during valuable class time:</p>
<p><span>First, the </span><a href="http://www.saferoutespartnership.org/sites/default/files/pdf/Curr_Guide_2011_lo_0.pdf">Bicycle and Pedestrian Curricula Guide</a><span>, released in 2011, catalogs the curricula available throughout the country, and clearly speaks to the various characteristics that are relevant to the educator, including grade level, type of instruction, program duration, cost, necessary equipment and adherence to state education standards. This resource is pure gold for the educator who has not yet chosen a curriculum for the classroom and its individual constraints.</span></p>
<p><img src="/sites/default/files/pictures/NHTSABicycle.gif" border="0" alt="NHTSA" title="NHTSA" width="200" height="260" style="float: left; margin: 5px;" />Second, and perhaps most relevant, is a new study that was released by National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration entitled <a href="http://www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nti/bicycles/pdf/Bicycle_Safety_Education_For_Children-811880.pdf">“Bicycle Safety Education for Children From a Developmental and Learning Perspective” </a> that closely analyzes bicycle education content and its actual effect on student behavior.</p>
<p>The study can aid educators utilizing the theories of child development and learning to guide the content and delivery of bicycle education programs. The study demonstrates that various approaches can educate students without improving behavior (think one hour assembly) while some improve behavior but do not reduce crashes - particularly common crashes with children. The study is a must read for those administering bicycle education programs but clearly draws the line that perhaps traditional methods of teaching bicycle education, including stand alone bicycle rodeos, are good for building background education and hopefully enthusiasm for bicycling, but if you want students to improve their behavior and safety, longer educational sessions that target common crashes where youth are over represented is a must. </p>
<p><em>Local Practice and Policy, a blog written by Dave Cowan, covers many of the multifaceted aspects of his work here at the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. Focusing on best practices, voices from the field and reflections on the Safe Routes to School movement as a whole, this blog attempts to share a sliver of the good vibes, happy stories, and great people Dave has the pleasure of working with to further Safe Routes to School on a daily basis. </em></p>
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</tr></tbody></table><p> </p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/bicycle" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">bicycle</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/safety" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">safety</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/bike" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">bike</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/bike-rodeo" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">bike rodeo</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/traffic-skills-course" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">traffic skills course</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/safety-town" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">safety town</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/developmental" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">developmental</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/safe-routes-school" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">safe routes to school</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/dave" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">dave</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/cowan" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">cowan</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/bicycle-curricula-guide" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">bicycle curricula guide</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/bicycle-safety-education-children-developmental-and-learning-perspective" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">bicycle safety education for children from a developmental and learning perspective</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-topics field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Topics:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/local-practice-policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Local Practice &amp; Policy</a></div></div></div>Thu, 13 Feb 2014 16:01:40 +0000Dave Cowan1343 at http://saferoutespartnership.orghttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/bicycle-safety-education-beyond-bike-rodeo#comments"See A Need, Fill A Need" - Safe Routes to School Planning in Urban Communitieshttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/see-need-fill-need-safe-routes-school-planning-urban-communities
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/pictures/medium_Kate%20Moening.JPG" border="0" alt="Kate Moening" title="Kate Moening" width="120" height="120" style="margin: 5px; float: left;" />Walking to school is not a new concept - up until the 1970s, most schools were located in residential neighborhoods, and communities were built with pedestrian traffic in mind. Unlike many suburban and rural areas, this still holds true in urban communities, where sidewalks are present and homes are clustered around schools. However, safety concerns, changes to infrastructure favoring vehicular traffic, desegregation through busing and social and economic demographic shifts have created barriers to the student pedestrian landscape in urban communities. </p>
<p>Since 2005, Ohio communities have been incredibly receptive to the Safe Routes to School program, and all state Safe Routes to School funds have been awarded. But by 2010, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) realized large school districts in urban communities had not applied for funding at a rate proportional to their representation in the state, in part because of the four-school limit to funding requests, as well as the scale and complexity of community issues in large districts. To overcome these obstacles, they developed a unique process, the large district school travel plan (large-district STP), grown from the original <a href="http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/SPPM/MajorPrograms/SafeRoutes/Pages/School%20Travel%20Plan.aspx">School Travel Plan guidelines and template</a> developed to assist smaller communities with planning Safe Routes to School implementation.</p>
<p>ODOT’s <a href="http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/SPR/Research/reportsandplans/Reports/2012/Planning/134577_Attachments/ConsultantLargeDistrictsGuide.pdf">“Developing School Travel Plans for Large Districts</a>” is a reference for consultants facilitating large-district STP, but is a free resource for anyone seeking information on implementing Safe Routes to School in districts with 15 or more eligible schools. Developed through a research project at the Cincinnati Public School District in 2012, it is currently being replicated in the Akron, Columbus and Toledo school districts, with a unique level of local support from metropolitan planning organizations, health departments, universities, nonprofits, and city planning, transportation and enforcement.</p>
<p>These urban communities are developing large-district STPs that meet their specific health, infrastructure, social and cultural needs to make it safer for students to walk and bike to school, and are innovating on the Cincinnati model. </p>
<ul><li>In Columbus, Columbus Public Health, Health Impact Partners and Kent State University are incorporating a <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/hia.htm">health impact assessment</a> and perception assessment into the STP development process, to identify health impacts in low-equity neighborhoods. </li>
<li>The Toledo team is making public education and encouragement a priority, developing public service announcements on Safe Routes to School benefits through media partner WGTE, the Fostering Healthy Communities Foundation sponsored by Promedica, the University of Toledo and Mercy hospital.</li>
<li>Akron’s team is investigating policy and other avenues to address <a href="http://www.ohio.com/news/local/akron-s-streets-can-present-dangerous-path-to-an-education-1.464537">snow removal in residential neighborhoods</a> that affect the <a href="http://www.ohio.com/news/local/walking-conditions-for-akron-kids-a-low-priority-for-city-but-drivers-get-snappy-response-1.463948">90 percent of students with no transportation</a>. Walking in the street or on icy sidewalks has <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLPKSRkGRao">contributed to student injuries</a> and lower school attendance.</li>
</ul><p>“See a need, fill a need” is a quote from the movie “Robots”, and it is exactly what ODOT did to address Safe Routes to School implementation challenges in large urban communities. For more information on Safe Routes to School in Ohio, <a href="http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/SPPM/MajorPrograms/SafeRoutes/Pages/default.aspx">visit their website</a> or contact <a href="mailto:Julie.Walcoff@dot.state.oh.us">Julie Walcoff, SRTS Program Manager</a>. </p>
<p><em>Kate Moening is the Ohio Advocacy Organizer for the Ohio Safe Routes Network, supported by the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. You can reach her at </em><a href="mailto:kate@saferoutespartnership.org"><em>kate@saferoutespartnership.org</em></a><em>, or the </em><a href="https://saferoutesoh.wordpress.com/"><em>Ohio Safe Routes Network website</em></a><em> .</em></p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/safe-routes-school" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">safe routes to school</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/urban-community" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">urban community</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/low-income" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">low income</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/school-travel-plan" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">school travel plan</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tag-state field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">State:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/state-blog/ohio" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Ohio</a></div></div></div>Tue, 11 Feb 2014 22:33:36 +0000Kate Moening1340 at http://saferoutespartnership.orghttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/see-need-fill-need-safe-routes-school-planning-urban-communities#commentsSan Diego: A Model for Active Transportation Planninghttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/san-diego-model-active-transportation-planning
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p dir="ltr"><span><img src="http://saferoutescalifornia.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/sandag-bike-plan-cover.png?w=630" border="0" alt="SANDAG" title="SANDAG" style="float: right; margin: 5px;" /></span></p>
<p dir="ltr"><span>The San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) made a commitment in 2011 with the adoption of its Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS) </span><a href="http://saferoutescalifornia.org/2012/07/24/sandag-leads-southern-ca-in-active-transportation-implementation/"><span>to improve conditions for active transportation</span></a><span>. The most impressive action of this program was that SANDAG recognized the need to fast track investments and develop an “Early Action Program” (EAP). The EAP consists of both bicycle improvements and a broader-spectrum active transportation component including Safe Routes to School and First-Last Mile transit access improvements. The EAP allows the county to build out its bike and pedestrian networks sooner in order to capitalize on the economic benefits, health benefits, reductions in collisions and reduced maintenance costs that will result from these improvements.</span></p>
<p dir="ltr">Over the past two years the agency has moved forward aggressively to make good on this commitment by initiating a number of planning and infrastructure projects. On September 27th, the agency took a huge step forward towards funding this vision by<a href="http://saferoutescalifornia.org/2013/09/30/sandag-approves-200-million-for-regional-bike-network/"> dedicating $200 million</a> towards the expansion of the regional bike network.<a href="http://www.sandag.org/uploads/meetingid/meetingid_3488_16569.pdf"> The Bike EAP comprises 42 projects totaling about 77 miles of new bikeways</a> that would make it much easier for people to ride their bike to school, work, transit stations, and other major destinations.</p>
<p dir="ltr">According to a recent press release by SANDAG, “The Bike EAP will be funded by TransNet, the regional half-cent sales tax for transportation approved by San Diego County voters. By dedicating local funds for bike projects, the region will be well-positioned to compete for outside funding. SANDAG will maximize funding opportunities from other sources by moving all the bike projects toward construction on a rolling timeline, so at any given time there would be shovel-ready projects.” This forward thinking strategy positions SANDAG well for future rounds of federal stimulus funding or new funding sources such as California Cap and Trade funding.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><span><span><span>Beyond the Bike EAP, SANDAG has shown leadership by partnering with San Diego’s Health and Human Services Agency to develop a regional</span><a href="http://www.sandag.org/index.asp?projectid=404&amp;fuseaction=projects.detail"><span> Safe Routes to School Strategy</span></a><span> and provide funding to local agencies for Safe Routes to School planning efforts. This work should eventually result in additional funding for Safe Routes to School efforts by SANDAG as it seeks to flush out the other components of its broader active transportation goals.</span></span></span></p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/bicycle-funding" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Bicycle Funding</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/regional-planning" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Regional Planning</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/active-transportation" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">active transportation</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/safe-routes-school" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">safe routes to school</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tag-state field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">State:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/state-blog/california" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">California</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-region field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Region:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/southern-california" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Southern California</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-topics field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Topics:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/regional-policy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Regional Policy</a></div></div></div>Tue, 08 Oct 2013 18:19:11 +0000Rye Baerg1289 at http://saferoutespartnership.orghttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/san-diego-model-active-transportation-planning#commentsVictory in CA for Safe Routes Fundinghttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/victory-ca-safe-routes-funding
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/pictures/jeanie.JPG" border="0" alt="Jeanie Ward-Waller" width="100" height="117" style="margin: 5px; float: left;" />I’m thrilled to share big news out of Sacramento, after a year of hard work by advocates: walking, bicycling, and Safe Routes to School projects will receive a 35 percent boost in state funding through legislation signed by Governor Jerry Brown yesterday. The bill that establishes the new program, <a href="http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140SB99" target="_blank">Senate Bill 99</a>, combines $130 million of existing pedestrian, bicycle, trails, and Safe Routes to School funding from state and federal sources into a comprehensive Active Transportation Program. </p>
<p>“California’s new active transportation program demonstrates our strong commitment to bicycling, walking and other human-powered transit,” said State Transportation Secretary Brian Kelly. “When Californians have more options for active transportation—including new and safer trails and pedestrian routes—it helps the state achieve greenhouse gas reduction goals while enhancing public health and safety.”</p>
<p>The new Active Transportation Program (ATP) is a milestone in California’s history of leadership on Safe Routes to School. A strong compromise agreement on the ATP was reached through a year of negotiations between the Governor’s Administration, the Legislature, and California Active Transportation Leadership -- a coalition of statewide non-profits coordinated by the <a href="http://saferoutespartnership.org/">Safe Routes to School National Partnership</a> that worked in unison to ensure that the legislation maintained California’s commitment to Safe Routes to School and addressed other critical issues. The coalition also includes California WALKS, California Bicycle Coalition, California ReLeaf, PolicyLink, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, TransForm, California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, The Nature Conservancy, Prevention Institute and Public Health Institute.</p>
<p>The coalition issued a <a href="http://saferoutescalifornia.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/atpnews-release-statewide-final-logos.pdf" target="_blank">joint statement today on the adoption of the Active Transportation Program</a>.</p>
<p><strong><em>What does the new Active Transportation Program mean for Safe Routes to School in California?</em></strong></p>
<p>California was the first state to adopt a Safe Routes to School program in 1999, creating a model for the federal program that extended funds to all states in 2005. For nearly 15 years, California has led the nation in dedicating state and federal funding toward Safe Routes to School projects and in innovations to improve public infrastructure and education, especially disadvantaged communities.</p>
<p>The Active Transportation Program will continue California’s commitment to and leadership in Safe Routes to School. For the first three years of the Program, a minimum of $24 million per year will be awarded to Safe Routes to School projects by the State of California. Of that $24 million, $7.2 million will fund non-infrastructure programs that support education, community engagement, evaluation and traffic enforcement and fund the Safe Routes to School Technical Assistance Resource Center.</p>
<p>“We applaud the State of California and the Administration for continuing dedicated funding for Safe Routes to School, a program that has a proven track record for increasing walking and bicycling and improving safety. This decision will benefit California’s kids and communities, and set a precedent for the nation,” said Deb Hubsmith, Director of the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.</p>
<p>In addition to the $24 million set-aside, which will be awarded through a statewide competition, Safe Routes to School projects will also be eligible for funding under regional competitions by the 14 large metropolitan planning organizations in the state. Continued hard work by state and local advocates to ensure that Safe Routes to School projects compete well for both the state and regional grant awards could result in even more funding for Safe Routes to School improvements than has ever been awarded, even under the stand-alone program.</p>
<p>“The Safe Routes to School National Partnership will be working with regional agencies throughout the state to demonstrate how Safe Routes to School projects are effective in achieving their long term goals. We envision a regional Safe Routes to School Program in each of California’s large metropolitan planning regions through the Active Transportation Program framework,” said Jeanie Ward-Waller, California Advocacy Organizer for the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.</p>
<p><strong><em>How will the Active Transportation Program benefit disadvantaged communities?</em></strong></p>
<p>The Safe Routes to School National Partnership worked closely with PolicyLink, California WALKS, Prevention Institute, the California Pan-Ethnic Health Network, the Leadership Council for Justice and Accountability, Public Advocates, ClimatePlan, Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program and California Rural Legal Assistance to ensure that the Active Transportation Program will prioritize improvements in disadvantaged communities where funds can have the greatest impact and where traffic safety problems are often most severe.</p>
<p>In response to our recommendations, no less than 25 percent of Active Transportation Program funding must benefit disadvantaged communities and dollars will be available to assist with planning and community engagement, particularly critical in those communities with limited resources. </p>
<p><strong><em>How can we make sure the Active Transportation Program achieves its goals?</em></strong></p>
<p>The California Transportation Commission will begin the work of creating guidelines for the Active Transportation Program right away, and must involve non-profit organizations, local government and the public in the guidelines development. The difficult task of determining project selection criteria and scoring for a wide array of different project types, of providing guidance that is focused but flexible to regional agencies, and of deciding how “disadvantaged community” will be defined for those projects that are eligible for the equity set-aside will require considerable research and discussion. Metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) will do similar work to set guidelines for the portion of funds that each MPO controls.</p>
<p>The Safe Routes to School National Partnership and our statewide partners will be closely involved with the guidelines process as part of the Active Transportation Program Workgroup, and will continue to communicate and work with advocates at all levels to ensure that Safe Routes to School projects and disadvantaged communities will be successful in competing for Active Transportation Program grants.</p>
<p>The Active Transportation Program was established with the goals of increasing walking and bicycling trips, enhancing safety and public health, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing equity. We must all work together with the California Transportation Commission and our regional agencies to ensure that the new Active Transportation Program lives up to that vision!</p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/california" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">California</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/funding" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">funding</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/safe-routes-school" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">safe routes to school</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tag-state field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">State:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/state-blog/california" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">California</a></div></div></div>Fri, 27 Sep 2013 20:31:44 +0000Jeanie Ward-Waller1285 at http://saferoutespartnership.orghttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/victory-ca-safe-routes-funding#commentsThere is Help for Students Walking and Biking to School: Safe Routes to School in Ohiohttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/there-help-students-walking-and-biking-school-safe-routes-school-ohio
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/pictures/medium_Kate%20Moening.JPG" border="0" alt="Kate Moening" title="Kate Moening" width="120" height="120" style="float: left; margin: 5px;" />In June, articles in the Akron Beacon Journal highlighted the safety inequity between urban and suburban students that walk or bike to school (you can read them <a href="http://www.ohio.com/news/local/with-no-ride-to-school-african-american-and-poor-children-disproportionately-hit-in-traffic-in-urban-districts-1.404627">here</a> and <a href="http://www.ohio.com/news/urban-kids-often-walk-to-school-with-little-help-or-safety-training-1.404996">here</a>). The topic was picked up by <a href="http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/06/why-ohios-city-kids-are-much-greater-risk-getting-hit-car/5856/">the Atlantic Cities blog</a>, and mentions that “The state (of Ohio) offers no funding assistance for children who walk less than two miles." </p>
<p>However, there is funding assistance, and for Akron, I would like to qualify the above statement with “for now”. The Ohio Department of Transportation <a href="http://www.dot.state.oh.us/news/Pages/State-Awards-$7-2-Million-to-Improve-Walkways-and-Bike-Paths-for-School-Children.aspx">announced May 31</a> that Akron is one of three large school districts awarded $100,000 through the Ohio Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School program to create a district-wide school travel plan (STP) that will evaluate and identify infrastructure and non-infrastructure safety solutions in and around school property for students walking and biking to school. (The other large districts are Toledo and Columbus.) </p>
<p>Simply put, an Ohio school travel plan identifies the people, places and things a community can address to help students safely walk or bike to school. In Ohio it is a required first step to receive future funding to build walking and cycling-friendly streets, add sidewalks, implement safety education programs, start walking school buses, improve enforcement options and more. Ohio has awarded Safe Routes to School funds since 2006, and 216 schools currently have or are working on school travel plans that will help increase safety, improve student health and promote walking and biking to school for students and their families. </p>
<p>Want to learn more about developing a school travel plan for your school? Visit the <a href="http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/SPPM/MajorPrograms/SafeRoutes/Pages/default.aspx">Ohio Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School webpage</a>, which includes travel plan guidelines, a list of school travel plans, ODOT district office staff contacts, education materials, lesson plans and other resources to get students walking and cycling to school. For a complete list of 2013 Safe Routes to School awards, <a href="http://www.dot.state.oh.us/Divisions/Planning/SPPM/MajorPrograms/SafeRoutes/Documents/2013%20Project%20Descriptions.pdf">click here</a>.</p>
<p>The articles cited are:</p>
<p>June 8, 2013 – <a href="http://www.ohio.com/news/local/with-no-ride-to-school-african-american-and-poor-children-disproportionately-hit-in-traffic-in-urban-districts-1.404627">“With no ride to school, African-American and poor children disproportionately hit in traffic in urban districts”</a>, Akron Beacon Journal.</p>
<p>June 10, 2013 – <a href="http://www.ohio.com/news/urban-kids-often-walk-to-school-with-little-help-or-safety-training-1.404996">“Urban kids often walk to school with little help or safety training”,</a> Akron Beacon Journal.</p>
<p><em>Kate Moening is the Ohio Advocacy Organizer for the Ohio Safe Routes Network, supported by the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. You can reach her at </em><a href="mailto:kate@saferoutespartnership.org"><em>kate@saferoutespartnership.org</em></a><em>, or the </em><a href="https://saferoutesoh.wordpress.com/"><em>Ohio Safe Routes Network website</em></a><em> .</em></p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/ohio" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Ohio</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/akron" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Akron</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/safe-routes-school" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">safe routes to school</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/student" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">student</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/safety" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">safety</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/walking" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Walking</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tag-state field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">State:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/state-blog/ohio" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Ohio</a></div></div></div>Fri, 12 Jul 2013 11:16:15 +0000Kate Moening1234 at http://saferoutespartnership.orghttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/there-help-students-walking-and-biking-school-safe-routes-school-ohio#commentsNo Summer Lull on Capitol Hillhttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/no-summer-lull-capitol-hill
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/pictures/margo-pedroso-thumb_0.jpg" border="0" alt="Margo Pedroso" title="Margo Pedroso" width="100" height="100" style="margin: 2px; float: left;" /></p>
<p> While schools are out for summer and many Americans head out on vacation, things on Capitol Hill have been heating up. I’ve got updates on a range of federal policy topics to share with Safe Routes to School advocates.</p>
<ul><li>Anthony Foxx, former mayor of Charlotte, NC, was sworn in on July 2 as the new U.S. Secretary of Transportation. We congratulate him on his Senate confirmation vote of 100-0. While we know he was an advocate for Complete Streets in Charlotte, we will need to do more education on bicycling and walking issues. Sen. Schatz (D-HI) <a href="/sites/default/files/pdf/Schatz%20QFRs%20FINAL.PDF" target="_blank">submitted some questions</a> to the Secretary-to-be on active transportation, and responses from Secretary Foxx were supportive but vague. We look forward to working with the Secretary and his staff to get more specific on why Safe Routes to School, bicycling and walking are essential to safety and connecting people to a better quality of life, which are priorities that Secretary Foxx emphasized in <a href="https://www.dot.gov/fastlane/moving-forward-safe-effective-and-strong-transportation" target="_blank">his welcome statement</a>.</li>
<li>Congratulations to the National Complete Streets Coalition for their recent Congressional briefing and House introduction of the <a href="http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/2013/06/25/congressional-hearing-on-safe-streets-act-highlights-policy-flexibility-and-safety/" target="_blank">Safe Streets Act of 2013</a>, which would require states and MPOs to adopt Complete Streets policies within two years of the bill’s passage. Reps. Matsui (D-CA) and Joyce (R-OH) have taken the lead on this important legislation. The National Partnership supports this legislation because it helps ensure that our transportation system is built right, for all users—including bicyclists and pedestrians, from the start.</li>
<li>On June 10, the US Department of Transportation issued the final guidance and a Q&amp;A on the <a href="http://www.saferoutespartnership.org/national/policy-background#transpoalt">Transportation Alternatives program</a> (TAP), which includes Safe Routes to School projects. States and MPOs should now be moving full speed ahead to get this program set up and get awards out the door. Read our <a href="http://www.saferoutespartnership.org/blog/assessing-usdots-final-guidance-transportation-alternatives">blog for more details on the guidance</a>, and please <a href="https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1356558006334383872" target="_blank">attend our July 22 webinar</a> to get all the latest on Transportation Alternatives. Leading up to the webinar we will be issuing a chart with state decisions on TAP implementation and ideas and examples to help MPOs craft effective TAP applications.</li>
<li>We also continue to urge Congress to restore the Safe Routes to School funding back to 100% federal funding, instead of the new requirements that all projects secure a 20% state or local funding match. We thank Sen. Shaheen (D-NH) for raising concerns about the impact of the match requirement on small towns and low-income schools during a Senate Appropriations Committee session, and urging her colleagues to find a solution. We will continue to work with Sen. Shaheen and other supporters to try and fix this challenge.</li>
<li>Finally, on June 25, President Obama gave a speech unveiling his <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/share/climate-action-plan" target="_blank">proposed action plan on climate change</a>. Unfortunately, the transportation aspects of his plan encompass making vehicles more fuel-efficient and investing more in electric and alternative fuel vehicles. We would like to see a focus on the role that increased walking and bicycling (resulting in less vehicle miles traveled) can play in reducing our dependence on fossil fuels. If Congress does take up the issue of climate change again (which is doubtful given the partisan divide), we will push for inclusion of active transportation and smart growth elements.</li>
</ul><p>So – that’s the latest from Capitol Hill. We will continue to work to advance Safe Routes to School and healthy, active communities on Capitol Hill.</p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/congress" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">Congress</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/map-21" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">MAP-21</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/complete-streets" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">complete streets</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/climate" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">climate</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/safe-routes-school" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">safe routes to school</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-topics field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Topics:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/national-policy-advocacy" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">National Policy &amp; Advocacy</a></div></div></div>Mon, 08 Jul 2013 23:10:31 +0000Margo Pedroso1228 at http://saferoutespartnership.orghttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/no-summer-lull-capitol-hill#commentsEngaging and Educating Local Elected Officialshttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/engaging-and-educating-local-elected-officials
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even" property="content:encoded"><p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><img src="/sites/default/files/pictures/david-cowan-thumb.jpg" border="0" alt="Dave Cowan" title="Dave Cowan" width="120" height="120" style="float: left; margin: 5px;" />Engaging local elected officials is not a new component of Safe Routes to School – in fact, it has been an integral part of the process since the inception of Safe Routes to School programs and projects. It is easy, however, to lose track of the value of educating and engaging these key stakeholders when absorbed in making walking and bicycling to school happen on a day to day basis.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;" align="center">We recently addressed working with local elected officials through two action briefs and a webinar. One action brief, intended to educate Safe Routes to School practitioners that includes talking points, explains roles and responsibilities of local elected officials and gives ideas for becoming more involved. The second action brief is designed to be handed to a local elected and/or their staff to quickly educate them on the benefits of Safe Routes to School.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;" align="center">These two action briefs, together with our webinar on the topic, are excellent tools for training up on how to better engage and educate local elected in the Safe Routes to School process – you can easily access them below.</p>
<p><strong>Maximizing the Local Impact of Safe Routes to School: Educating Local Elected Officials <br /></strong></p>
<ul><li>Watch an audio-visual recording of the webinar <a href="http://www.slideshare.net/SafeRoutes/maximizing-the-impact-of-safe-routes-to-school-education-local-elected-officials" target="_blank">here</a>.</li>
<li>Download the action brief: <a href="http://www.saferoutespartnership.org/sites/default/files/pdf/Primer-to-Understanding-the-Role-of-Local-Elected-Officials.pdf">Safe Routes to School: A Primer for Understanding the Role of Local Elected Officials</a></li>
<li>Download the action brief: <a href="http://www.saferoutespartnership.org/sites/default/files/pdf/Primer-for-Local-Elected-Officials.pdf">Safe Routes to School: A Primer for Local Elected Officials</a> </li>
</ul><p><em>Local Practice and Policy, a blog written by Dave Cowan, covers many of the multifaceted aspects of his work here at the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. Focusing on best practices, voices from the field and reflections on the Safe Routes to School movement as a whole, this blog attempts to share a sliver of the good vibes, happy stories, and great people Dave has the pleasure of working with to further Safe Routes to School on a daily basis. </em></p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/local-elected-officials" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">local elected officials</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/safe-routes-school" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">safe routes to school</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/electeds" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">electeds</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/tips" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">tips</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/blog/insights" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">insights</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/blog/engaging-decision-makers" typeof="skos:Concept" property="rdfs:label skos:prefLabel" datatype="">engaging decision makers</a></div></div></div>Thu, 18 Apr 2013 21:54:06 +0000Dave Cowan1173 at http://saferoutespartnership.orghttp://saferoutespartnership.org/blog/engaging-and-educating-local-elected-officials#comments